Mobile,variable resistance football practice dummy

ABSTRACT

A mobile football practice blocking and tackling dummy comprising a padded dummy rotatably mounted on a vertical support element, whose lateral resistance is variable, and a laterally extended base support and stablizing arm on which is positioned a crank-operated, variable resistance system. The resistance and righting force of the dummy is controlled by a spring loaded tension cable, the tension of which is varied by altering the compression of a high-strength spring attached to one end of the cable. By rotating the crank arm, the tension on the cable through the spring is changed which alters the righting force and resistance of the vertical dummy to lateral forces such as occur in football blocking and tackling practice. In use, when approached in line from and along the lateral support arm, the mobile practice dummy will move straight ahead; while, when approached from the opposite direction, the practice dummy will move from side to side as it is driven back, providing practice in lateral stability as well as driving for the football player.

United States Patent [191 Thomas, Sr.

[ July 23, 1974 [54] MOBILE, VARIABLE RESISTANCE FOOTBALL PRACTICE DUMMY [76] Inventor: John D. Thomas, Sr., Rt. 2, Box

104X, Bogalusa, La. 70427 [22] Filed: Apr. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 242,983

[52] US. Cl 273/55R [51] Int. Cl A63b 67/00 [58] Field of Search 273/55 A, 55 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,250,905 12/1917 Liljegran 1 273/55 A 1,287,176 12/1918 Armstrong 273/55 A 2,913,245 11/1959 Landis 273/55 A 2,934,343 4/1960 Schumacher t 273/55 R 3,416,795 12/1968 Lewis et al 273/55 A 3,451,677 6/1969 Nedwick 273/55 R Primary Examiner-Anton O, Oechsle Assistant ExaminerTheatrice Brown Attorney, Agent, or FirmPugh & Laiche [5 7] ABSTRACT A mobile football practice blocking and tackling dummy comprising a padded dummy rotatably mounted on a vertical support element, whose lateral resistance is variable, and a laterally extended base,

support and stablizing arm on which is positioned a crank-operated, variable resistance system. The resis tance and righting force of the dummy is controlled by a spring loaded tension cable, the tension of which is varied by altering the compression of a high-strength spring attached to one end of the cable. By rotating the crank arm, the tension on the cable through the spring is changed which alters the righting force and resistance of the vertical dummy to lateral forces such as occur in football blocking and tackling practice.

In use, when approached in line from and along the lateral support arm, the mobile practice dummy will move straight ahead; while, when approached from the opposite direction, the practice dummy will move from side to side as it is driven back, providing practice in lateral stability as well as driving for the football player.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures MOBILE, VARIABLE RESISTANCE FOOTBALL PRACTICE DUMMY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mobile football practice blocking and tackling dummy, classifiable in Class 273 (Amusement Devices, Games), Subclass 55 (Football) in the US. Pat. Office classification system.

It is a basic object of the present invention to provide a vastly improved tackling dummy for use in the safe and proper practice of football tackling and blocking. Although various types of athletic tackling devices have been proposed for use in instructing football players in the art of tackling of an opposing ball carrier and in the proper technique of blocking opposing players, all of these prior art devices have had substantial drawbacks which the present invention now has overcome. Typical examples of prior art football practice dummies are found in the US. Pats. to Landis, No. 2,913,245, issued Nov. 17, 1959, and Bachman, et al., No. 2,197,545, issued Apr. 16, 1940.

The present invention is first of all mobile, not being fixedly attached to the ground as is true for the aboveidentified prior art patented devices, thus allowing the present invention to be used for practice in driving as well as relatively static blocking and tackling. This mobility provides portability, and greater ease and flexibility of use. g g

The present invention likewise provides a very simple, straight forward and reliable system for varying the amount of resistance of the dummy to lateral forces such as occur in tackling or blocking, yielding with impact in a fashion similar to the human ball carrier but regaining its original upright position after impact. Unlike some prior art devices which utilize relatively esoteric hydraulic systems, the present invention utilizes a simple and reliable mechanical spring compression system.

As well as being mobile and allowing driving of the practice dummy, the present invention is ambivalent in its directional characteristics and allows the football player to practice different types of driving. When the practice dummy of the present invention is approached from one direction, the device will be driven straight ahead; but when approached from the opposite direction will have a tendency to move from side to side, accurately simulating a football runner changing his direction of travel in trying to avoid being tackled or a player trying to avoid being blocked. The dummy of the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top, plan view of the football practice device of the present invention, showing the lateral support stabilizing arm extending out from the stuffed dummy.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1, showing the movement of the stuffed dummy in phantom lines.

FIG. 3 is a partial, side, cross-sectional view of the cable tension varying system of the present invention which varies the amount of resistance of the stuffed dummy to lateral forces.

FIG. 4 is a partial, side view of the top portion of the vertical support member upon which the stuffed dummy is mounted. FIG. S'is a partial, side, cross-sectional view of the bottom portion of the stuffed dummy support member, showing the connection of the tension cable to the vertical support member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The preferred embodiment of the mobile, variable resistance football practice dummy of the present invention is illustrated in its overall configuration in FIGS. 1 (top view) and 2 (side view), with detailed aspects of the device being shown in FIGS. 3-5.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the football practice device of the present invention includes a cylindrical, stuffed football dummy I mounted on a vertical support shaft 5 which is flexibly attached to the base plate or platfrom 9 and the lateral, support and stabilizing arm 10. The lateral arm 10 terminates at its opposite end in the rectangular lateral support base structure 21.

v The football dummy 1 and support member 5 is flexibly held to the lateral support arm 10'by means of cable more detail below, the tension on the cable 11 and present invention likewise is rotatably mounted on its vertical support member so that if a player does not hit the dummy directly head-on as is desirable, the player will spin off and fall or be knocked to the ground.

Overall, the present invention has resulted in a practice device which is far more flexible and accurate in its simulation of football playing conditions, and does.

hence the lateral resistance of the dummy 1 is varied by turning crank 15.

As can best be seen in FIG. 5, the vertical support shaft 5 is screwed into nipple 8 which in turn is welded to dummy system base plate 7. The base plate 7 has a central aperture through which cable I l is inserted. To prevent the cable 11 from slipping through base plate 7, it is knotted at its upper end, with the knot 23-being secured by cable clamp 6. The dummy 1 slips over the vertical support shaft 5 and rests on base plate 7. The dummy 1, resting on base plate 7, is secured to the vertical support shaft 5 by retaining cap 2 (note FIG. 4), having bolt 3 welded to its bottom surface, screws into the circular end plate 4 which in turn is welded to the upper end of shaft 5. The retaining cap 2 bears against the upper part of the dummy 1 to lock it in position.

Except for the free rotation (about its central, longitudinal axis) of the stuffed dummy 1 around the vertical shaft 5, the dummy system including elements I, 5, 7 and 8 all move together about and against horizontal platform 9 in hinged fashion, its movement being restrained only by the cable 11. Due to the presence of the cable 11, when the dummy system is hit laterally, as by a football player practicing blockingortackling, it will move in an arcuate manner about and against platform 9, for example to position 1' (note FIG. 2); and, upon the removal of the lateral force, will spring back to its upright position. The amount of resistance to lateral forces of the dummy system is determined by the tension on cable 11, which will now be discussed in greater detail.

The cable 11 at its end opposite the dummy system is attached to an eye bolt 18 by stringing it through the eye, doubling it back on itself and locking the end in place by cable clamp 6'. The eye bolt 18 freely passes through the center of circular spring retainer plate 13 and bearing block 16. A high strength spring 12 is enclosed within the tension varyingsystem 30 and bears at one end against the end plate 20 of the cylindrical housing 20 and at its other end against the spring hearing plate 13. The threaded end of the eye bolt 18 is by a screw/thread relationship screwed into the interior of crank shaft arm through nut cap 14. Thus, when under compression, the spring 12 tends to push the crank shaft lS/eye bolt 18 combination through the spring bearing plate 13 and bearing block 16 away from the opposing end of the cylindrical housing 20, all of which in turn applies tension to the cable 11. Y

The crank arm is supportedby L-bracket 29 through which it freely rotates in bearing 32, the presence of which prevents the cable from being twisted as the crank 15 is rotated. The bracket 29 also serves as a safety shield for the spring 12 should the cable 1] ever break.

As the crank arm 15 is rotated inwardly, the eyelet bolt 18 is drawn further inward into the crank arm 15, the tip of which bears against spring bearing plate 13, compressing the spring 12, producing greater tension on the cable 11. In reverse fashion, when the crank shaft arm 15 is rotated outwardly in the opposite direction, the compression of the spring is lessened, lessening the tension on the cable 11. The lateral resistance of the dummy system is thus readily and easily varied by a straight forward, reliable, crank-operated mechanical system. 1

To allow easy movement of the cable 11 through the device, strategically placed pulley runners 31 are provided at places where the cable 11 changes direction.

The device is padded wherever necessary or desirable for safety purposes, and in particular elongated pad 17 is positioned on the upper exterior of the arm 10 adjacent the dummy system and fastened to the arm 10 by any-suitable means such as snaps or rope ties. To completely .cover the inner workings of the device, a cylindrical cover element 22 (shown in phantom lines) with circular end support plate 19 is used to protect the emerging cable 11 and yet allow easy access to the important working elements located in or near the covered area. 7

The totalundersurface of the arm 10 is rounded and smooth, while the lateral support base 21 includes skids or sliding elements 33 as its ground contacting surface, and hence the device is relatively easy to move and highly mobile. 5

in order to keep the ground contact to a minimum to alleviate damage to the playing field as the device is 5 junction between the platform 9 and the arm 10 is filled in and smoothed out to allow for movement of the device about that point without damage to the playing field.

Typical detailed dimensions of some of the parts that go to make up the preferred embodiment are set out in tabular form below.

Part Typical Dimensions l Cylindrical foam rubber pad l6 inches in diameter and inches standard height with a 2% inch diameter hollow center covered with a durable weather proof fabric.

Steel circle plate one-quarter one-fourtl1 inch thick and 4 inches in diameter.

3 Steel cap screw one-half inch in diameter and l inch long. Welded to plate 2.

4 Steel circular plate one-quarter inch thick and 2% inches in diameter with a one-half inch threaded center hole.

5 Steel pipe 2 inch size, one-quarter inch wall thickness and 45 inches in height.

Cable clamp three-eighths inch size.

7 Steel circle plate three-eighths inch thick with an 8 inch outside diameter and 1% inch inside diameter.

8 I Steel nipple.

9 Steel circular plate one-half inch thick with a 12inch outside diameter and W4 inch inside diameter.

Ten foot section of 2 inch pipe. Steel cable one-half inch in diameter.

Coil spring made of one-half inch diameter steel coiled 10 times and having a 4 inch inside diameter and measuring I6 inches in height uncompressed.

Steel circle plate one-quarter inch thick and having a 4 inch outside diameter and a 1 inch inside diameter. I

Steel crank whose major threaded portion is l4 inches in length. 7

Eye bolt five-eighths inch diameter and 13% inches long, cast steel.

Steel pipe 6 inch size with nine-sixteenths inch wall thickness. Twently inches in length.

Rectangle inches by 15 inches made of steel angle iron of 2% inches and l inches with a central 6 inch channel bar and outrigger braces.

One-and-one-half inch rollers.

In use, the dummy practice device of the present invention very accurately simulates actual playing conditions, simulating as nearlyas possible actual body contact on the playing field with opponents of varying size and strength. Varying the tension on the cable 11 allows the dummy resistance to be customedkeyed to the amount of resistance a coach desires in view of the size and strength of the player to be simulated and the player actually practicing.

When practicing driving, if the dummy 1 is approached from the direction of arrow 24 (see FIG. 1 the device will have a tendency to fish-tail from side to side (note arrows 27, 28) as it is being driven back due to the presence of the lateral arm 10 and lateral base support 21. If approached from the diametrically opposite direction, the device will drive straight ahead. If the football player does not hit the dummy directly, but rather with a glancing blow, the dummy will rotate (note arrows 25, 26), and due to the internal tension of the device the player will be knocked to the ground.

As is the case with all mechanical devices, many .variations may be made in the details of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. For example, the crank arm can be made solid with its inner core bored out and threaded, or the cable 11 could travel all the way down the arm 10 with the tension varying system 30 lowered or vertically aligned, or indeed a different type of tension varying system could be used. The possible variations are practically limitless.

If desirable, a graphic indicator could be added to the tension varying means 30 to give a visual read-out of the amount or degree of tension or resistance the device is set at at any particular time. Additionally, because the size of the width of the dummy base plate 7 greatly affects the amount of force needed to move the dummy against the tension of the cable, various size plates with a suitable easy change structural modification could be provided to enhance even more the flexibility and alterability of the device. I

Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as invention is: l. A mobile, variable resistance football practicing dummy comprising:

a generally vertical dummy support shaft for mounting a stuffed dummy thereon; laterally extended support structure, said support shaft at its lower end being attached to said support structure to allow for pivotal movement of said support shaft about said support structure when lateral forces are applied during use, said support structure including an elongated, at least generally closed, horizontally disposed arm, and a lateral support base structure having a width substantially greater than said arm, said support shaft being attached to one end of said arm and said base structure being attached to theo pposite end of said arm; and

resistance varying means mounted on said support structure for varying the amount of resistance of said support shaft to the lateral forces causing said pivotal movement, the attachment of said support shaft to said support structure being by means of a cable under tension, said resistance varying means varying the tension on said cable, one end of said cable being attached to said support shaft and the opposite end being attached to said resistance varying means, said cable extending from the bottom of said support shaft through said elongated arm to said resistance varying means; said support shaft, said support structure and said resistance varying means all being combined in a mobile structure located on a support surface during use.

2. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 1 further characterized as comprising:

cylindrical shaped stuffed football dummy means adapted to be rotatably mounted about the longitudinal axis of said vertical dummy support shaft.

3. The mobile variable resistance football practicint dummy of claim 1 further characterized as comprising:

elongated safety pad means is operably positioned on the upper exterior of said elongated horizontally disposed arm forming a part of said support structure.

4. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 1 further characterized in that said resistance varying means is further defined as comprising spring housing means operably attached to said support structure, spring means operably positioned within said spring housing means, and opposite to its end attached to said support shaft, said spring means being operably positioned between said spring housing and said crank means whereby said spring means can be compressed upon rotation of said crank means to thereby increase the tension on said cable which in turn increases the amount of resistance of said support shaft, rotation of said handle means in the opposite direction correspondingly reducing the tension on said cable.

5. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 4 being further characterized in that said resistance varying means is further defined in that:

saidcrank means is further defined in that its end operably attached to said cable means is provided with a hollow portion, the end of which is threaded to receive eye bolt means provided with a threaded portion which telescopes within the hollow portion of said crank means, the opposite end of said eye bolt means being operably attached to said cable means, and spring bearing plate means are provided which is operably positioned between said spring means and the hollow threaded end portion of said crank means, said spring bearing plate means being provided with a centrally located aperture through which said eye bolt means passes and said spring housing means also being provided with a centrally located aperture through which said cable means passes for connection to said eye bolt means, said spring means being operably positioned between the internal end wall portion of said spring housing means and said spring bearing plate means whereby rotation of said crank means in one direction will compress said spring means by screw- -ing said eye bolt means into the hollow portion of said crank means thereby increasing the tension in said cable means, and conversely, upon the opposite rotation of said crank means, the tension in said cable means will be relaxed.

6. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 5 further characterized in that said support structure is further defined as including bracket means affixed to said lateral support base structure in juxtaposition to said resistance varying means, said bracket being provided with bearing means having an aperture through which said crank means extends whereby said bracket means serves as a support for said crank means, said bracket means being positioned in close proximity to the open end of the cylindrical housing means of said resistance varying means to thereby serve as a safety shield by confining said spring means within said cylindrical housing means should said cable means ever break.

. 7. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 1 further characterized in that:

said elongated horizontally disposed arm comprises a tubular member through which said cable means extends, first pulley runner means being rotatably mounted within the end of said horizontally disposed arm at its end upon which said vertical dummy support shaft is operably mounted, said cable means extending through the tubular portion of said horizontally disposed arm, over said first pulley runner means to said vertical dummy support shaft to which it is operably attached, the opposite end of said cable means extending through the other end of the tubular portion of said horizontally disposed arm over a second pulley runner means rotatably mounted where said horizontally disposed arm is operably attached to said later support base structure, the latter also being further defined as comprising a third pulley runner means operably positioned in alignment with the aperture provided in the cylindrical housing of said resistance varying means through which said cable face whereby the present football practicing dummy can be relatively easily moved. 

1. A mobile, variable resistance football practicing dummy comprising: a generally vertical dummy support shaft for mounting a stuffed dummy thereon; a laterally extended support structure, said support shaft at its lower end being attached to said support structure to allow for pivotal movement of said support shaft about said support structure when lateral forces are applied during use, said support structure including an elongated, at least generally closed, horizontally disposed arm, and a lateral support base structure having a width substantially greater than said arm, said support shaft being attached to one end of said arm and said base structure being attached to the opposite end of said arm; and resistance varying means mounted on said support structure for varying the amount of resistance of said support shaft to the lateral forces causing said pivotal movement, the attachment of said support shaft to said support structure being by means of a cable under tension, said resistance varying means varying the tension on said cable, one end of said cable being attached to said support shaft and the opposite end being attached to said resistance varying means, said cable extending from the bottom of said support shaft through said elongated arm to said resistance varying means; said support shaft, said support structure and said resistance varying means all being combined in a mobile structure located on a support surface during use.
 2. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 1 further characterized as comprising: cylindrical shaped stuffed football dummy means adapted to be rotatably mounted about the longitudinal axis of said vertical dummy support shaft.
 3. The mobile variable resistance football practicint dummy of claim 1 further characterized as comprising: elongated safety pad means is operably positioned on the upper exterior of said elongated horizontally disposed arm forming a part of said support structure.
 4. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 1 further characterized in that said resistance varying means is further defined as comprising spring housing means operably attached to said support structure, spring means operably positioned within said spring housing means, and opposite to its end attached to said support shaft, said spring means being operably positioned between said spring housing and said crank means whereby said spring means can be compressed upon rotation of said crank means to thereby increase the tension on said cable which in turn increases the amount of resistance of said support shaft, rotation of said handle means in the opposite direction correspondingly reducing the tension on said cable.
 5. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 4 being further characterized in that said resistance varying means is further defined in that: said crank means is further defined in that its end operably attached to said cable means is provided with a hollow portion, the end of which is threaded to receive eye bolt means provided with a threaded portion which telescopes within the hollow portion of said crank means, the opposite end of said eye bolt means being operably attached to said cable means, and spring bearing plate means are provided which is operably positioned between said spring means and the hollow threaded end portion of said crank means, said spring bearing plate means being provided with a centrally located aperture through which said eye bolt means passes and said spring housing means also beinG provided with a centrally located aperture through which said cable means passes for connection to said eye bolt means, said spring means being operably positioned between the internal end wall portion of said spring housing means and said spring bearing plate means whereby rotation of said crank means in one direction will compress said spring means by screwing said eye bolt means into the hollow portion of said crank means thereby increasing the tension in said cable means, and conversely, upon the opposite rotation of said crank means, the tension in said cable means will be relaxed.
 6. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 5 further characterized in that said support structure is further defined as including bracket means affixed to said lateral support base structure in juxtaposition to said resistance varying means, said bracket being provided with bearing means having an aperture through which said crank means extends whereby said bracket means serves as a support for said crank means, said bracket means being positioned in close proximity to the open end of the cylindrical housing means of said resistance varying means to thereby serve as a safety shield by confining said spring means within said cylindrical housing means should said cable means ever break.
 7. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 1 further characterized in that: said elongated horizontally disposed arm comprises a tubular member through which said cable means extends, first pulley runner means being rotatably mounted within the end of said horizontally disposed arm at its end upon which said vertical dummy support shaft is operably mounted, said cable means extending through the tubular portion of said horizontally disposed arm, over said first pulley runner means to said vertical dummy support shaft to which it is operably attached, the opposite end of said cable means extending through the other end of the tubular portion of said horizontally disposed arm over a second pulley runner means rotatably mounted where said horizontally disposed arm is operably attached to said later support base structure, the latter also being further defined as comprising a third pulley runner means operably positioned in alignment with the aperture provided in the cylindrical housing of said resistance varying means through which said cable means extends whereby said cable means which extends over said second pulley runner means and said third pulley runner means is operably positioned in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing of said resistance varying means by virtue of said third pulley runner means.
 8. The mobile variable resistance football practicing dummy of claim 1 further characterized in that the lateral support base structure of said support structure is provided with skid means on its ground contacting surface whereby the present football practicing dummy can be relatively easily moved. 